SHE was bred in South Australia, cost only $700 as a weanling and her trainer at first thought she was going to be a “nut job”.
Now she is one of the favorites to win the $1m Provincial-Midway Championships Final (1400m) at Royal Randwick on April 12.
Four-year-old mare Welcometobarbados booked herself a spot in the Final at Newcastle yesterday in the second Qualifier (1400m), clinching her fifth victory from only nine starts; all five from her last six runs.
And it would indeed be fitting if the mare’s Kembla Grange trainer Paul Murray could follow in the footsteps of his iconic late father Bede, who won the first Provincial Championships Final in 2015 with Sure And Fast.
In a thrilling three-way finish to yesterday’s second Qualifier, Welcometobarbados (Jean Van Overmeire) at $7 edged out Newcastle trainer Kris Lees’ gallant Lord Of Biscay ($4.20) and Wyong trainer Sara Ryan’s brave $2.70 favorite Matcha Latte.
The first two placegetters joined Hawkesbury qualifiers Rapt and Bojangles in the Final, and TAB.com.au market assessors reacted to the Newcastle result by making no less than four horses – Lord Of Biscay, Welcometobarbados, Matcha Latte and Well Timed - $8 co-favorites.
Fellow Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker’s Well Timed will begin his PMC campaign in Saturday’s third Qualifier (1400m) at Hawkesbury.
Owner John Lundy paid $700 for Welcometobarbados (by Redoute’s Choice stallion Barbados) online through bloodstockauction.com, and syndicated her amongst friends (very cheaply of course - $35 for five per cent), and agisted her at Murray’s South Coast farm at the recommendation of former Illawarra Turf Club racecourse manager Michael Craig.
“To be honest when I first got her out of the paddock, I thought she was going to be a nut job,” Murray said today.
“She would kick her legs up, and kick your head off if you weren’t very careful.
“But we didn’t push her, and as a result she didn’t race as a two-year-old.
“I gave her only three starts as a three-year-old, and she is more mature now.
“In fact her transformation has been such that she is very easy to train now. She is a beautiful mare.
“They might not have been looking at her much before, but they are now after yesterday’s win.”
Murray does not intend to start Welcometobarbados again before the April 12 Final.
“She races best on the fresh side,” he explained. “We’ll probably trial her and perhaps even have a special gallop at home between races.
“The Provincial-Midway Championships have long been our goal with this mare.
“It would be pretty special if I could emulate Dad by also winning the Final.”
Whilst Welcometobarbados took the honours, both Lord Of Biscay and Matcha Latte’s performances were full of merit in defeat.
Ballina Cup winner Lord Of Biscay was forced to race wide throughout from his near outside draw, and Matcha Latte, at his first start since nearly upsetting Here To Shock in the Group 3 Cameron Handicap (1500m) at Newcastle last September and then suffering a bleeding attack in a Randwick trial, almost stole the race after trailing fellow Wyong rival Apache Breeze ($31) before taking over after straightening.
HOOFNOTE: Murray and Van Overmeire didn’t rest on their Newcastle laurels yesterday.
They teamed again at Moruya today to land the Benchmark 66 Handicap (1010m) with Cani Cancan ($5.50).
The four-year-old daughter of Russian Revolution won her fifth race when she defeated Pretty Vegas ($2.70 favorite) and Get Shafted ($6).
. The latest PMC Final market is:
8 Lord Of Biscay, Matcha Latte, Welcometobarbados, Well Timed
11 Bojangles, Midnight Opal, Rapt, Wooloowin
15 Alabama State, Flying Bandit, French Ruler, Harlow Mist, Overriding, Rolling Magic
Story John Curtis, March 2, 2025 - Pics Bradley Photos
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